Juno Awards ceremony reflects the times
Canadian awards show goes virtual
COVID -19 and Black Lives Matter each put a stamp on the 2020 Juno Awards, which were broadcast and livestreamed on CBC on Monday evening.
The awards were supposed to be celebrated live in Saskatoon in mid-march, before being postponed due to the coronavirus.
“It was a very difficult decision (to cancel), but little did we know then how much our world would change over the next few months,” said Allan Reid, president and CEO of the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS), the Juno Awards and Musicounts.
He added, CARAS is committed to the “inclusion and amplification of Black voices” and creating a more equitable industry.
Two of the four performances taped for the show pointed out inequities in Canada.
When Halifax duo (and breakthrough group of the year winners) Neon Dreams performed, Frank Kadillac sang, “Remember when they beat me down again, just for the colour of my skin.”
Tom Wilson introduced iskwe’s performance as a “truly powerful performance that pays tribute to the life of Colten Boushie and Tina Fontaine. It also commemorates the lives of the many missing and murdered Indigenous women. May their tragic murders bring about necessary change in this country.”
CBC host and musician Odario
Williams spoke about the “long and difficult road for Black and Indigenous Canadian artists here at the Junos.”
While the first Junos ceremony happened in 1970, it was 15 years before soul and reggae artists had a category. Rap artists were acknowledged in 1991 and Indigenous musicians in 1994.
“It’s kind of ironic how recent this long road has been. Well, I’ve got to give a shout-out to the Black and Indigenous Canadian artists of the ’70s, the ’80s, the ’90s, that are true pioneers in the growth of our musical landscape,” added Williams, naming Liberty Silver (the first Black woman to win a Juno, in 1985), Rascalz and A Tribe Called Red as “talented trailblazers.”
Handing out the Junos took less time than usual ( just 90 minutes) and was a one-sided process: After their names were called, the winners did not give speeches.
The presenters were alone on a set — many of them within the CBC Toronto headquarters, and others in their homes or offices.
Alessia Cara, who would have hosted the awards in Saskatoon, won in three categories — album of the year, pop album of the year and songwriter of the year. She lost to Avril Lavigne (Juno Fan Choice), Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello (for single of the year), and Shawn Mendes (artist of the year).
“It would have been so cool to be in Saskatoon this year, but I’m happy we’re still able to acknowledge our peers for the amazing art they’ve made over the last year,” said Cara during the digital broadcast. She also performed a premiere of her song Rooting For You.
Canadian Music Hall of Fame and Walt Grealis Special Achievement Award winners — Jann Arden and Pegi Cecconi — were not celebrated during the show, as organizers “felt that this wasn’t the time to recognize them.”